Branding Airports

by Brian Rodino
October 16, 2009 issue

For most people, going to the airport is the equivalent to sitting in a waiting room and waiting to see the
doctor. No one likes going to the doctor because it has an image of being a place where you don’t know
what will happen while you are there. You sit anxiously waiting for your name to be called while you read
the magazines or newspapers that are on the chair or table next to you. These same feelings of anxiety
and boredom are experienced by the passengers that sit in airport terminals, waiting to board a plane.

Many airports have poor reputations for being noisy, chaotic, and sometimes dirty. Airports need
to focus on their brands and build more attractive perceptions of their offerings. Many cities
outside of the United States have already begun branding their airports and have seen a positive
response from passengers whom want to return. The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in
Mumbai was one of the first airports to take the initiative of branding their airport. The new logo for
CSIA is supposed to represent the countries heritage and values. The letters for CSIA were arranged a
feather-like form, similar to that of a peacock, making it a traditional logo without any crazy frills. The
airport’s roof will also look like the peacock feather of the logo. This reflects India’s vibrant and colorful
city, while capturing the pride and global standards of its citizens In addition, Dubai International Airport
and Melbourne Airport have also branded themselves with their own identities.

Airports have numerous hidden corporate and branded treasures all throughout their terminals that
many people undervalue and under-appreciate. Airports should use these hidden treasures to their
advantage by branding the dominant company’s logo around the airport. For example, at the Charlotte
Douglas International Airport there is a wine bar called Yadkin Valley Wine Bar, where for $5 you can
sample four North Carolina wines and get and quick lessons about the different wines. In the San
Francisco airport, there is the famous Boudin’s Bakery and Café, a brand known for its sourdough
bread and bread bowls. Some passengers will in fact fly out of San Francisco instead of Los Angeles
solely for Boudin’s sourdough bread. If airports could somehow brand popular attractions and
amenities in and around the airport, more people would take notice and go out of their way to
experience what the brand has to offer.

The branding of airports in the Unites States is rare as most people don’t consider airports as brands.
However, HSBC – one of the world’s largest financial services companies – placed their logo as well
as HSBC advertisements on the interior and exterior of the jetbridges at John F. Kennedy International
Airport (JFK), making it very noticeable for arriving and departing passengers. The company did an
excellent job of advertising and positioning its brand as part of the airport experience, HSBC ended up
employing the same strategy at Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia International
Airport. By properly positioning themselves, HSBC is the only bank to have a major brand presence at
all three metro New York/New Jersey airports. HSBC now has a presence in 25 airports across the
world including Sydney, Beijing, and Tokyo to name a few.

Airports are in fact gateways to cities and their brands should reflect a certain culture. in the United
States, airport branding should be taken more seriously as they have the potential to be seen as
destinations themselves, where people can actually enjoy shopping, eating, and even waiting. By
providing fliers with an actual brand experience, airports would benefit financially and so would the
hotels and communities that surround them.

Brian Rodino can be reached at brianrodino@hotmail.com.

Other articles by this author

commenting closed bookmark print

suggest topic recommend ( 13 ) email

Branding Airports

I would argue that an airport is only as good as the brands prepared to occupy it. If you look
shabby, you’ll only ever attract shabby. Brands, that is. I use Terminal 2 and 3 at Heathrow by way of
example - one being much more of a worthwhile experience that the other.However, with each
terminal catering for specific airlines, and ultimately, destination brands themselves, surely it is in the
interests of airlines et al to command airports to project the right image, if not, provide the surfaces
from which to create brand experiences. However, I do think, airports should focus on facilitating the
show, rather than trying to be the star of it.HSBC has proven that airports are but a blank canvas, who
have maximised on the provision of unpainted walls, halls and passage ways to communicate directly

with perhaps the most specific, easily monitored markets in the world…
Dan Dimmock, Strategy Director, Breathe Branding - October 26, 2009
 Brian this is a great topic for discussion. I am a frequent flier and pass through many airports.
Each one has its own distinct identity just like the multitude of brands they service. The image and
reputation of an airport is defined in many regards by the airline experience coming and going from the
airport just as much as the airport itself. For example I fly Southwest Airlines every chance I get when
traveling in the USA. I avoid United Airlines every chance I get. So when I fly to Chicago I get to land
at Midway Airport as opposed to O'Hare. I love flying SWA and I love landing at the smaller airport,

Midway. Rather than having to experience the monster O'Hare.

Rex Whisman, Principal, BrandED Consultants Group - November 7, 2009

You're right when you flag the missed opportunities at airports.One memorable example I've
seen is at Heathrow Airport where the passengers arriving and departing through the bridge for the
Republic of Ireland boarding gates pass through a series of tunnels decorated with large murals of the
Bulmers cider orchard. Although I hate the series of 'travelators', this portion of the journey seems

more serene and really drives home Bulmers' 'Time Dedicated To You' message.
Gerard Tannam, CEO, Islandbridge Brand Development - November 7, 2009

Will cities sell the naming naming rights finance airport construction the way they do for
stadiums? As long as the airport code doesn't change I don't see why not. It's a great way to offset

costs.
Sid Raisch, President, Horticultural Advantage - November 7, 2009

If consumers expect some form of consistency and reliability from " their" brands , there is no
way most airports could ever qualify for affection. Many appear dedicated to finding new ways of
extorting cash while subjecting you to an unhappy experience, eg parking ( a pound to have the
privilege of dropping someone off at Luton,) extortionate taxi surcharges (SYD) , being forced to enter
the USA while only transitting in LAX - no doubt others can supply examples. However, yes, Changi,
Shanghai and Hong Kong are pretty damned good every time ( is it coincidence they are in the East ?)
and every now and again, an airline really glamorises the experience - hats off to Air NZ 's world
beating domestic check -in AKL particularly . No counters, use your phone or FFP card or PNR - all
bags tags printed in `10 secs - brilliant
tony marks, non executive director, several companies in New Zealand - November 7, 2009